TAO, A. Strike O, or A. Air Ops

[Duhgreat]

.

 

[Duhgreat]

Any advice on which is best? I’ll show my ass a little bit and say I was never near a boat, so I have no clue what any of them do? Any tips as far as which one is good for career, quality of life, etc? Thanks!

 

[picklesuit]

Shooter...better than all of those...

 

[xj220]

Not going to the boat. The best of all.

 

[Duhgreat]

Much help. Many thanks

 

[Short]

Depends mostly on the boat and your boss. A strike will work PB4T, green sheet and air plans. Asst. Air Ops hot sheets and watch on any day, really dead pierside, TAO watch rotation based on numbers, only tactically oriented job. None of the jobs are crushing.

 

[SynixMan]

"It depends" What are your career aspirations? I'm doing my disassociated now but I'm on a staff in 5th Fleet. No boat.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Choose TAO and you could go on internet forums to remind people with alarming regularity how YOU fight the ship and the captain trusts YOU with the lives of the crew. Plus you get an opportunity to shine quite frequently, examples: every time you announce River City, or mistakenly call away alerts at 0430.

 

[kejo]

Hearing "THIS IS THE T-O-A" over the 1MC while walking through the blue tile and CSG (now Air Boss) screaming WTF from his office might be in the top three of my career highlights. Def go TOA.

 

[jollygreen07]

Agree, TOA is the best job on the boat. So good. Very tactical.

 

[nittany03]

Plus you get an opportunity to shine quite frequently, examples: every time you announce River City, or mistakenly call away alerts at 0430.

“Missile inbound, starboard side, all hands brace for shock!”

(5 seconds later)

“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!”

Such realistic training . . .

 

[BigRed389]

So....always wondered. What does a CVN TAO actually do? I mean I guess you shoot off ESSM and RAM in a pinch, but what are they actually expected to do in running either Strike Group ops or Air ops when there’s an army of CSG and Air Wing staff guys onboard?

 

[kejo]

So....always wondered. What does a CVN TAO actually do? I mean I guess you shoot off ESSM and RAM in a pinch, but what are they actually expected to do in running either Strike Group ops or Air ops when there’s an army of CSG and Air Wing staff guys onboard?

They set the A30 fighters then 15 seconds later launch the A30 fighters, c'mon now.

 

[Jim123]

They set the A30 fighters then 15 seconds later launch the A30 fighters, c'mon now.

Amazing coincidence! The tin can TAOs went to the same course:


Air det! Set alert 30! (Several minutes later) alert 30 set.

Set alert 15! (Then, a minute later) launch the alert 15 helicopter!

Uh, you do realize we haven't even pulled it out of the barn.

(Incredulous) But ermahgerd! Alert 15! When can you be in the air??

From right now, about 29 minutes.

Wut?!?!?!?!

 

[squorch2]

So....always wondered. What does a CVN TAO actually do? I mean I guess you shoot off ESSM and RAM in a pinch, but what are they actually expected to do in running either Strike Group ops or Air ops when there’s an army of CSG and Air Wing staff guys onboard?

Answer phones.
Answer chat.
Wrangle OSs.
Manage links (kinda).
Tell people when equipment breaks.
Tell people where you’ve been told to point VI equipment.